NEWS: Sony's new ES receiver range-topper

This is Sony's forthcoming STR-DA5300ES receiver, expected to slot into the company's range above the existing STR-DA5200ES in September or October.

The price in the UK is subject to confirmation, but it's expected to sell for around €1700 in mainland Europe, which would suggest around £1200-£1300 here. Features include full HD sound decoding, an enhanced auto-calibration system and a modular Digital Media Port designed to connect it to personal audio devices and wi-fi networks.

The 7x120W Sony can handle a Linear PCM multichannel input via HDMI, as can the STR-DA5200ES, but adds onboard decoding for both Dolby Digital True HD and DTS-HD Master Audio, and can even handle a direct DSD datastream from suitable SACD sources.

1080P upscaling is provided, from all sources from S-video upwards, and the receiver can handle the 1080P/24, Deep Colour and xv Colour(xvYCC) picture enhancements available via HDMI with a suitable player and TV.

A revised version of the company's Digital Cinema Auto-Calibration is provided, promising faster and more accurate set-up, and the receiver also has Sony's Bravia Theatre Sync for one-button operation with suitable players and the latest Bravia TVs.

Finally there's the new Digital Media port, a single connection able to accept a range of plug-in modules to interface with a variety of music sources.

Modules will be available to connect iPods and Sony Ericsson Walkman mobile phones to the DM Port, and for wireless connections there are both wi-fi and Bluetooth add-ons, meaning that just about any computer-based music source can be connected.